DIY Upcycled Planters

If you know me, then you know I love all things vintage and antique. And that doesn’t stop when it comes to planters! I love being able to have unique planters that match my vibe. So I figured I would share all my DIY upcycled planters with you guys today.

That way, it gives you some ideas and inspiration too. They’re not just your typical run of the mill planters. They will definitely give your front porch a unique and fun vibe!

Which is exactly what I want. So keep on reading just to see all the creative ways you can make a vintage planter!

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Where To Find Vintage Items To Upcycle

The main thing when trying to have vintage upcycled planters, is off course to find the vintage items first. You need to find some items that have plant pot potential!

Even if they aren’t traditionally used as a planter. Some of the best places to find things like these are your local thrift store or maybe even some yard sales around your area.

Also, a local flea market is a good idea to shop at too. All these places should have some an antique pieces at a reasonable price too. Basically, you want to find some old items and bring them new life by turning them into repurposed planters.

A little creativity will go a long way with this. Think outside of the box. And don’t just look for some old plant pots. Look for some household items that you could potentially turn into a unique planter instead.

They may not be what you consider as ideal planters, but that’s what makes it fun and different. And don’t worry if the piece doesn’t have good drainage holes, you can always add that in later with a drill. But, you will definitely want that to help remove all the excess water from your plant.

DIY Upcycled Planter Ideas

Here are some of my personal DIY planters that I have done in the past to get your ideas flowing. I found an old vintage wash tub several years ago and decided to turn it into an herb garden.

And the best part was that it already had drainage holes drilled into the bottom of it too. So that was one less step I had to do myself.

Another great upcycling idea is to grab an old watering can and turn it into a planter too. I always plant something in my antique watering can every year because I just love the rustic look it brings to our outdoor space.

Another example of how you can turn everyday items into a planter is by doing a DIY boot planter. Find some old rain boots and drill some small holes into the bottom for some drainage.

You could even use a little spray paint if you wanted to give them a splash of color too. And now those old boots have a completely new purpose that is beautiful too!

One of my favorite DIY Upcycled Planters are my vintage crocks. I got lucky a few years ago antique hunting in Johnson City and found a 2 gallon set of crocks that already had holes drilled into them perfectly for drainage.

However, I was so sad because one day the wind knocked one of them over and shattered it into pieces. I couldn’t restore it unfortunately. But, I got lucky again and found the same crock, although, it was severely cracked.

But no worries. That only allows for more character and easy drainage too! I also have a huge 5 gallon crock that I wanted to upcycle into a planter as well.

Although, this one did not have a hole for proper drainage. So my hubby used a concrete drill bit to add one in. I’m not going to lie, I was extremely nervous the whole time.

I thought it would crack and break like the other one. But thankfully it didn’t and it was a lovely way to turn a huge crock into a beautiful planter as well! 

Other Planter Ideas

There are so many different ways you could turn old things into planters. And here are some more ideas. I would love to try some of these creative ideas out one day for myself too! 

• Old tin cans, such as coffee cans or tea tins 
• Old bread bins or loaf tins
• A vintage milk jug 
• Old kitchen pots, you could turn these into herb planters to fit with the kitchen theme!
• Create a container garden around some old tires
• Vintage glass jars
• Old paint cans 
• Old buckets 
• Vintage muffin tins, these make for great planters for small plants. Think of it as succulent planters and you could place a different succulent into each hole of the muffin tin!
• Old furniture, not only to use as planters, but a way to display all your beautiful planters on. Plus, it keeps with the old vintage and antique theme!

Enjoy Your DIY Upcycled Planters

Well, I hope all these ideas above inspire you to create your own upcycled planter one day too. This is such a fun way to decorate your porch without just going to some big box stores.

It gives the area more character and charm in my opinion. And when you can find most things listed above at a thrift shop, it’s definitely cheaper than shopping at a big box store anyway!

So the next time you’re itching for a new plastic pot for a plant, why not find something you can upcycle instead? It’s a great way to repurpose something and give it a second life.

Which is what I love to do all the time! Do you have an upcycled container that you’ve turned into a charming planter before too?! If so, I’d love to hear all about it below!